# The Power of Default

DevFeed: [The Power of Default](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-power-of-default-38461.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://eevis.codes/blog/2023-08-07/the-power-of-default/>)

Author: Eevis Panula

Published: 2023-08-07T04:30:27.854000Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Eevis Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/eevis-blog.md>)

Topics: [digital](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/digital.md>), [Users](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/users.md>)

Tags: [developers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developers.md>), [gender](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gender.md>), [power](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/power.md>), [services](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/services.md>), [tech](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech.md>)

## AI overview

This opinion article examines how defaults in digital services, apps, language, and social assumptions can make some groups seem "normal" while excluding or discriminating against others. It encourages developers and technology professionals to recognize the effects of their decisions and use defaults more consciously.

## Source excerpt

Oh, hey there! Before you read this blog post, I want to say that it contains a lot of talk about equality and how some groups of people are not seen as equal compared to others. I'm passionate about changing that. If you know that a feminist point of view makes you angry, I recommend reading but take some deep breaths before commenting. Try to be friendly, like there was actual human reading your comment. Thank you! There's a lot of power with the default. And with default, I mean default selections in (digital) services, apps, and others - but also in the fact that some groups of people are seen as the default, "normal", compared to other groups. Why I'm writing about this theme? Well, I believe that we, as developers (or, basically, any role in the tech industry), need to be really conscious of this topic so that we don't accidentally (or, in some cases, on purpose) exclude, or even discriminate, some of our users. We need to recognize what our decisions can do to actual people. In this blog post, I'll first talk about who is default and who is not, then about the default in tech, and finally, I'll discuss using the default for good. Who is Default and Who is Not? The Default in What We Don't Say The default is visible in what we don't say and what needs to be explicitly said. Let's take an example from sports: When writing this post, the FIFA Women's World Cup is ongoing. Do you know what the men's tournament is called? FIFA World Cup. There is no mention of men; it's just an assumption that everyone knows it's about men; it's the default. However, I want to mention that I love how Finnish YLE (the national broadcasting company) is talking just about "Jalkapallon MM 2023", meaning Football/Soccer World Championships 2023 -- so they don't mention gender. That is, of course, a problem for some; some Finnish people have complained online that it should be called women's football. Well, the same people have a history of saying that they're defending women's rights in